Thursday, October 22, 2009

Help a boy with a heart of gold

You've heard me talk about our dear friends the Koens, who moved back to their home country of South Africa after vowing many years ago after becoming U.S. citizens that they would never go back. Our family witnessed a transformation in their hearts as God called them to leave a prestigious job in America, a nice home, all the comforts of life, and many friends to go back;

this time not to the affluent white neighborhood where they previously lived, but across the bridge to the shanty towns, or slums of the country to minister God's hope and love to the dying and destitute, and break the bonds of racism which is so prevalent there.

I am copying this email from their oldest son Josh age 13, (above, can you guess which one he is?) hopeful that some of you would like to help him out:

Hi everyone,

It's Josh. I'm sure allot of you are wondering why I am emailing you, especially after I haven't emailed allot in you in a long time. This email is not about me at all. This email is about some of the nicest people I have ever met. These people live in a shack. They have no electricity, no plumbing, and not many clothes. These are the people I spend my day with. There are 3 people, but I will mention all the details later. I am asking for a miracle. I am needing $5,000 to build a house for these three people by Christmas. This house will have (3) bedrooms, (3) showers (each in the sepeate room), a living room, and a kitchen. The interior wall will made out of dry-wall. The exterior will be brick.Everything will be solar powered. This house will be the best thing that has ever happened to these people. These people tell me stories of when it rains how they would hold there walls together so there house doesn't fall down, and about how everything gets wet. I mean you guys live in a nice warm cozy house with air-con and heaters. These people have nothing, yet they are the nicest people I have ever met, and there's always a smile their face. Yet we worry about what kind of phone we have and what we wear and who we hang out with. I am asking YOU to give to build this house. Don't think just because you are kids you can't make a difference, you can change the lives of these people! I know $5,000 seems like so much money but we can do it. I have given all my $522.42 to help build this house and we need $4,488.58 more. We can only do this with your help. Each person who donates money will have their name on a plaque inside the house (but that shouldn't be the reason for you donation).I will be starting a blog about the people who will live inside the house and the progress of the donations. I will update the blog everyday as soon as money starts to come in. And I will post pictures about the progress of the house. And when the day comes, I will record them walking through the doors of their new house. And have each of them thank you for your donation, and send the video back to you guys. Please tell all your friends, parents, uncles, sisters, brothers, aunts, grandparents, great grand parents, etc. to donate! All you have to do is go to www.bridgetocross.org and click on "Ways To Give" and scroll down and click on "Online Donations" then label the amount of money you are giving. Under "Project Allocation" label "Josh's Christmas Home", then all your credit card details (you may want to ask your parents to help). And don't feel nervous about typing in you credit card details, we have a secure server so that nothing will go wrong. And this is my promise to you, "That any money you donate with ONLY go toward building the home for the three people and NOTHING else. And that I will start a blog updating it everyday, and I will tell you in full detail about the three people you are building the house for and everything else I labeled in the post". I can only do this with your support. Even if you don't donate, maybe you can go around collecting money from neighbors or do a car wash or something! The reason I'm asking all this is because I feel so strongly in my heart that these people should not be in the living condition they are. And by the way you can call my house, here in South Africa and pay the local fee in the US, I still have the same number (918-398-xxxx) Remember to please ask your parents to donate also! Together we will make a difference!!!!!

"Thanks every one for your support,

-Josh"

P.S if you have any questions please feel free to email or call. But please call before 3 P.M your time (I am 6hour ahead)!

I am off to donate right now!!! Please consider helping this wonderful young man with a heart of gold. Can you believe he gave all of his savings...$522. We LOVE these people, they are the real deal............... www.bridgetocross.org